Conveyer



Jan. 20, 1942. A. w. DUNCAN 2,270,626

CONVEYER Filed Jan. 29, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor 1 M A llorney Jan. 20, 1942. A. w. DUNCAN 2,270,626.

CONVEYER Filed Jan. 29, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3.

A ttorney Jan. 20, 1942. A. w. DUNCAN 2,270,626

CONVEYER Filed Jan. 29, 1940 ,3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A2 00: JWD KcQ QZ A ltbmey Patented Jan. 20, 194-2 are r orFIc CONVEYER Application January 29, 1940, Serial No. 316,230 In Great Britain February 1, 1939 9 Claims.

This invention relates to belt conveyers.

In the design of belt conveyors which have to be moved frequently and more particularly conveyers for use in connection with thin seams in coal mines, it is desirable that the component parts should be as light and strong as possible and that the means of coupling these parts together should be simple, rapid and robust.

Many types of construction are in use or have been suggested embodying these features in greater or lesser measure, the majority being constructed of rolled steel sections, flats and plates riveted or welded together.

The main object of the invention is to provide improved methods of construction of the carrying structures and detachable side plates and side angles of portable belt conveyers.

A conveyer in accordance with the invention includes means for supporting rollers which support the conveyer belt comprising pairs of plates or the like for supporting the rollers, the plates,

or the like being carried by bars, tubes or the like (included hereinafter in the term bar stock material) having substantially horizontal portions which rest on the ground and substantially vertical portions bent up therefrom and secured to the plates or the like.

In a preferred form, the supporting means for one end of a roller comprises a plate or the like secured, as by welding to substantially vertical portions of a pair of bars, tubes or the like which are bent up from substantially horizontal portions which rest on the ground, edges of the plate or the like and parts of the substantially vertical portions of the bars or tubes beingso related that side angles and/or plates of the conveyer can be attached to the bars, for example by means of tubes secured to the side angles or plates and fitted over the bars or tubes.

The invention is illustrated by the typical examples of constructions in accordance with it which will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a roller frame for a belt conveyer in which the bottom run of the belt is the conveying run,

Fig. 2 is a View at right angles to that of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of part of the frame of a belt conveyer in which the upper run of the belt is the conveying run,

Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3,

Figs. 5 and 6 are elevation views at right angles to each other illustrating an alternative method of mounting the bottom rollers of a conveyer such as that illustrated by Figs. 3 and 4,

Figs. 7 and 8 are similar views illustratinga further alternative,

Fig. 9 is an elevational view of a roller. for use in arrangements illustrated by Figs. 5 to 8, and,

Fig. 10 is an end View thereof.

In the form of conveyer illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2, in which the bottom run of the conveying belt is the carrying run, the supporting means for the rollers supporting the carrying run includes each a pair of members of round bar stock material (actually illustrated as bars) each of which has a transverse substantially horizontal portion I, a pair of lateral substantially horizontal portions 2 bent substantially at right angles to the transverse portion to approach the corresponding portions of the other bar, apair of portions 3 bent up substantially at right angles to the lateral portions, a pair of substantially horizontal portions 4 and a pair of downwardly bent end portions 5. The substantially vertical portions 3 butt against and are welded as at 6 to plates 1 which are drilled as at B to receive the outer ends of the spindles of the rollers which are arranged in pairs inclined downwardly toward the centre of the conveyer.

A bar 9 (or it might be a plate, tube or the like) is welded between the transverse portions l of the bars to carry the middle bracket II] for the rollers, the inner spindle ends of which are half scarfecl and drilled for split pin fixing in the bracket.

The plates 1 are reduced in size at the top so that pockets on any appropriate side angles can pass over the spigot-like members formed by the portions 4 and 5 and the upper parts of the portions 3 of the bars, the spigot-like members .being a tight lit in the side angle pockets.

It will be appreciated that the frames just described are cheap to manufacture, light, robust and easy to handle in confined spaces. The

spigot members when fitted in side angle pockets provide a certain measure of lateral rigidity which is desirable when side angles are to be fitted 0n the gob side only.

In the form of conveyer illustrated by Figs. 3 and 4, the upper run of the belt is the carrying run and the means for supporting the rollers by which the carrying run is supported each comprise bars (which term includes tubes and the like as above) having transverse substantially horizontal portions H, which cross between the upper and lower runs of the belt, substantially horizontal lateral portions 12, which rest on the ground and are connected to the portions II by substantially vertical portions l3, and upwardlysloping portions I4 which connect the ends of the portions I2 to substantially vertical spigot portions I5.

Plates I6 are welded to the portions II and I of the bars and are slotted at the top, as at I! for the reception of the spindles I8 of the rollers l9 for supporting the upper run of the belt.

Side plates are carried by the roller frames and include substantially vertical portions 20 and 2| joined by sloping portions 22 which space themapart so that the portion 20 is situated to the inside of the associated portions I5 and plates I6 and the portion 2I to the outside of the associated portions I3 and I4, the ends of the portions 20 and 2| being cut away as at 23 and 24 respectively to clear the roller frames as necessary. The lower edges of the portions 2| of the side plates are located by means of short bent bars or the like 25 welded in the angles between the portions I2 and I4 of the bars of the roller frames.

At the tops, the portions 2| of the side plates are bent over to provide strengthening portions comprising downwardly and, outwardly sloping portions 26 which are bent inwardly at th bottom to provide substantially horizontal portions 21.

Apertured plates 28 are welded to the undersides of the portions 21, their apertures fitting over the spigot portions I5 to secure the side plates.

Angle plates 29 are welded on the inside to the portions 20 of the side plates and have portions extending beneath the upper run of the belt.

The spindles 30 of the rollers 3| for supporting the lower run of the belt are notched to fit over the portions I4 of the roller frames, with which they are maintained in contact by curved retaining members 32 welded to the frames.

Figures 5 to 8 illustrate alternative methods of mounting the bottom rollers of conveyers of which the upper belt runs are the carrying runs.

In the arrangement according to Figs. 5 and 6 the ends of the roller spindles are supported by the slotted and flattened upstanding portions 33 of members of bar, tube or like material which are welded in the angle between the portions I2 and I4 of a frame which is otherwise similar to that shown in Figs. 3 and 4: these members also include curved portions 34 which serve to retain the lower edges of the side plates.

In the arrangement according to Figs. 7 and 8, members of sheet material having slotted upstanding portions 35 for carrying the roller spindles and curved portions 36 for retaining the side plates are welded to the frames.

Figs. 9 and illustrate a preferred formof the roller spindles: the provision of milled flats at one end of the spindle, as at 31, and of a second shoulder 38 beyond the flattened portion 39 near the other end of the spindle enables the roller to be lifted at one end only, and withdrawn from the supporting brackets transversely. This is of advantage when dismantling from the face side only.

The construction described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4 is very strong and light, the Vertical portions I3 and I5 being locked together and the bar units being locked to each other by welding to the relatively narrow plates.

Although certain forms of apparatus have been specifically described above, it is to be understood that such specific descriptions are given by way of example and that the invention is not limited to the details described, modifications other than those specifically mentioned being possible without departing from the invention.

I claim:

1. A roller frame for a belt conveyer comprising a pair of plates for carrying a roller for supporting the upper run of the belt, supporting members of round bar stock material attached to the plates, said supporting members comprising substantially horizontal and longitudinal portions which rest on the ground transverse portions extending across the conveyer and inclined portions and members cooperating with the inclined portions to provide bearing for a roller or rollers to carry the lower run of the belt.

2. A roller frame for a velt conveyer comprising two lengths of bar stock material bent in at least two planes about its central axis with substantially longitudinally extending lengths resting on the ground at each side of the conveyer and forming feet, transversely lying portions extending across the conveyer, and upstanding portions in combination with plates at each side of the conveyer, each attached to upstanding portions of both the said lengths and adapted for carrying a roller or rollers.

3. A roller frame for a belt conveyer comprising two lengths of round bar stock material bent in at least two planes about its central axis with substantially longitudinally extending lengths resting on the ground at each side of the conveyer and forming feet, transversely lying portions extending across the conveyer, and upstanding portions, in combination with plates at each side of the conveyer, each attached to upstanding portions of both the said lengths and adapted for carrying a roller or rollers.

4. A roller frame for a belt conveyer comprising two lengths of round bar stock material bent in at least two planes about its central axis with substantially longitudinally extending lengths resting on the ground at each side of the conveyer and forming feet, transversely lying portions extending across the conveyer, and upstanding portions, in combination with plates at each side of the conveyer, each welded to upstanding portions of both the said lengths and adapted for carrying a roller or rollers.

5. A roller frame as claimed in claim 2 wherein the transversely lying portions are substantially horizontal and rest on the ground.

6. A roller frame as claimed in claim 2 in which the transversely lying portions are at the adjacent ends of the longitudinally extending lengths.

7. A roller frame as claimed in claim 2 in which the upstanding portions include parts upwardly inclined from the remote ends of the longitudinally extending lengths and vertical parts bent up from the inclined parts.

8. A roller frame as claimed in claim 2 in which the plates are cut away to provide abutments for side plates carried by the.upstanding ends of the bent round bar stock material. I

9.- A roller frame as claimed in claim 2 including means secured to the angle portions where the round bar stock material is bent for locating the lower edges of side plates carried by upstanding portions of the members of round bar stock material.

ANGUS WELLESLEY DUNCAN. 

